CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) -
An afternoon trip changes a local family's life in an instant. Mounting medical bills threatened to pull the under. Who do you turn to for help?
If you're Lamont and Chinelle Dozier, of Charlotte, you turn to Motivation Ministries.
The local organization's sole mission is to help families in need when they have no one else to turn to.
It's been almost three months since Lamont nearly lost his life in fiery car crash.
"I just couldn't believe my car flipped that many times," he said.
Four times in fact. A good Samaritan-- anonymous to this day -- pulled Lamont out moments before the flames engulfed the car.
"Most people would run away from a burning car," he said. "He ran to it. I would just like to thank him for saving my life."
That "angel", as the Doziers refer to him, saved his life but Lamont's injuries are extensive
Among them: he's paralyzed from the chest down, has a severely punctured lung, a crushed sternum, several cracked ribs and a broken hip doctors say still isn't safe to operate on.
Throughout the ordeal his wife Chinelle, has been by his side.
"He was hooked up to every machine possible," she said. "I'm an ICU nurse and some of things I had never even seen before."
A long-time nurse, she quit her job to care for her husband full-time.
The decision meant their blended family -- six kids between the two of them-- had no income and was just barely getting by.
Then in July, another terrifying setback: Lamont's heart stopped in his hospital room.
"We lost him actually for a minute and a half and he suffered some brain injury from that," recalled Chinelle.
Lamont spent nearly a month in the ICU here at Carolinas Medical Center in a medically induced coma. All the way the medical bills continued to pile up, totally nearly a million dollars.
That's where Chinelle says Motivation Ministries came in.
"We would be homeless," she said. "We had disconnection notices for every utility possible. Gas had been shut off. We were just struggling to get by."
Since the organization got involved, the Doziers have moved into a rental home and say they have hope for the furture.
"We are now at a fresh point in our life where we can start to build back up," said Chinelle.
Another way the family is moving forward: through the progress Lamont has made.
Progress doctors said wouldn't happen.
"They said I was going to have the mind of a five year-old for the rest of my life," said Lamont. "They said I wasn't going to be able to move my arms and they were wrong."
Progress that is also evidence of their unwavering faith.
"God took me and gave me back," said Lamont. "So guess he's not through with me yet. I'm here for a reason. Just have to figure out what the reason."
Perhaps being a source of hope to others is part of that reason.
Motivation Ministries helps families through fundraisers and donations from the community.
One of the biggest, Exalt! Showcase happening Sunday, September 23. Nearly all of the proceeds from that benefit concert will go to the Doziers.
If you would like to help out the Dozier family, click here.
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